Take The Lead
by SnowflakesandWind
Summary: The Amis all go to Musian High near the Slums, Jean Valjean owns a dance studio in upstate with his daughter Cosette. Why would these worlds ever meet? When Valjean sees Eponine help Montparnasse destroy her vice-principal's car, he goes to Musain to see what he can do to help kids like her by… teaching them ballroom dancing? Based off the movie "Take the Lead". E/E M/C J/M/B
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! So I've had this idea for a while now and I finally was able to get the right basic story line out of my brain. I cant promise constant updates but I do promise that I will finish this story and if I don't its because I am going to be doing a lot of extra odd jobs and classes for the next few months and will have had to step back. But what do you want to know of my life? On to the story!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Les Mis I'd be ****_WAY _****older and not a girl**

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Uptown Jean Valjean was getting ready for a ballroom exhibition for his dance academy, his daughter Cosette was sick so he would be attending alone. He had on one of his best suits and patent leather shoes.

Cosette walked into the room and saw her father ready to leave, "I'm almost relieved that I got sick" She said, Valjean turned to look at his daughter, smiling sadly.

"And why would that be, mon petit?" He asked, he knew her daughter liked dancing, but lately she has not had the same enthusiasm as she used to. "No reason, just a lot of pressure on me lately, school and stuff, don't worry, Dad" Cosette said reassuringly, Valjean nodded and then grabbed his car keys.

"I'm leaving now, I'll be back around midnight, try and rest" he told her.

"I will, Dad" Cosette replied, closing her eyes as Valjean kissed her on the forehead and left their large apartment.

On the other side of town, Eponine Thenardier was getting ready for her school dance, a rare thing for her to attend, especially since what has come to be known as the Incident. She got on a pair of black skinny jeans and a blue tank top, she used what little make-up she had and covered up the bruise on her cheek from where her father had slapped her the night before.

"Eponine, get out of the bathroom you slut!" She heard her father call from behind the bathroom door. He was already drunk, but not enough to bother with what Eponine was doing. She walked out of the bathroom, her dad going in to puke into the toilet.

Once Eponine reached her "bed", which was really the pull out couch, she saw her mother with her younger siblings, who unlike her husband actually cared for her children. "Are you sure you don't want me to watch them?" Eponine asked, hoping with every fiber of her being Mrs. Thenardier would say yes.

"Yeah Eponine, you've been denying yourself fun ever since…" Mrs. Thenardier faded off, "Just have a good time"

Eponine nodded and left putting on her black jacket to keep out the cold air. She walked to a much better part of town compared to where she lived to get to her high school, and to the school gym, where she saw the principal, Miss James, taking the tickets, the music being heard from outside the gym. As she got in line she saw her one of her best friends, Eddie Courfeyrac, in line as well.

Eddie saw her and pulled her forward in line, "Ep! Thought you weren't coming to this one?"

"Yeah neither did I," Eponine said, "I didn't want to come, umm, 'Zel would have loved this"

The mention of her sister made Eponine slightly more quiet, but Eddie would have none of it, "Come on, you're free for the night let's just go inside and have some fun"

"Yah okay" Eponine sighed and gave the ticket to Mr. Javert, the meanest teacher in the school, who didn't think any of the students deserve any joy at all unless they were honor students. "No drinking, no in and out privileges, and if catch any of you or your little group ruining anything you will all have detention until you graduate"

After that they were ushered in and Courfeyrac pulled her to where he saw their group of friends, some were dancing, like Jehan, Marius, Joly, and Bossuet, the last two both dancing with their girlfriend Musichetta, the others like Grantaire and Bahorel were not-so-sneakily drinking from a flask that Grant had hid in his jacket, and Combeferre was discussing something with the boy who Eponine addressed as her "mortal enemy", Gabriel Enjolras.

There was once a time when the two were good friends and the members of their little group could have sworn up and down that they would have gotten together. But after the Incident they were barely able to say two words to each other before one left the room or started a battle of words. The current champion of those was Eponine, who had managed to use a secret she had found out "accidently", which really means she had bribed his younger brother to tell her, against him.

Enjolras looked up and his eyes met Eponine's, who glared at him before going to the dance floor and getting lost in the music. She had often been told she was a wonderful dancer and its was times like this where she wished she could do it more often, but with her life she knew it wasn't possible. So for now Eponine took what she could get and just let herself rock to the beat of the music.

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**So what do you think? Great? Good? Bad? Any reviews always welcome.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So here's chapter two!**

**For anyone who doesn't know, the original movie Take the Lead is a (fictionalized) true story based off of the life of a man named Pierre Dulaine who created a program called "Dancing Classrooms" to teach kids morals and valuable skills for adulthood through Ballroom dancing. In the movie he teaches a group of high school kids ballroom dancing during detention and basically helps them with their everyday lives.**

**So for anyone who's actually seen the movie you could probably piece together what "the Incident" is and if you want to try and guess you can comment or pm me and I'll tell you if you're close or not.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Les Mis or Take the Lead. But I do own both movies which gave me this idea.**

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Eponine should've known that just one night without trouble catching up with her was too much to ask for. It started when she stepped out of the gym to get some paper towels because Bossuet had spilled water on her jeans. When she reached the entrance again a new teacher had taken Mr. Javert's place at the door.

"Sorry, doors closed an hour ago" she said to Eponine.

"But I was just in there! I went to the bathroom to dry off 'cause my clumsy friend had spilled a water bottle on me!" Eponine yelled in frustration. Hearing the yell caused Miss James to come out of the gym and ask what the problem was.

"My problem is that I spent my money to get into this dance and that I had only gotten out for three minutes to dry the fuck off! But this teacher won't let me back in!"

"You will not be going back in with that kind of attitude, Miss Thenardier," Miss James told the petite brunette, "I know for a fact that you were told that there would be no in and out privileges and usually I would overlook it but you have forced me to send you back home"

Eponine gave up in trying and instead just glared at the principal, "You know what? This is bullshit!" and with that Eponine turned and stormed out into the parking lot, "And I'll see you in my office first thing Monday morning, young lady!" Miss James called after her.

Back in the parking lot Eponine started the walk back to her parent's apartment. But before she could even get ten feet from the gate leading out of the school she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around and looked up to glare at the boy who stood in front of her.

Montparnasse was a nineteen year old high school dropout who had begun working for Thenardier three years ago when Eponine was fourteen and he was sixteen. He had oily black hair and dark green eyes that had once made Eponine weak in the knees, but when he started his "job" the novelty wore off and she began to see him as he really was. Ruthless, sickening, and downright disgusting. Eponine imagined that her father was the same when he was their age.

"Well, if it isn't little Eponine," Montparnasse smirked, "You're not dancing?"

"No, fucking Miss James kicked me out" Eponine said sharply, her fuse was already cut short and she had an even shorter one when it came to Montparnasse, "Now leave me alone so I can get home"

"Well how bout we have a little fun first?" Montparnasse pulled a nine iron from behind his back and nodded his head toward a car down the street that Eponine recognized as the principal's. He lead her over and placed the golf club in her hands, Eponine had half the mind to tell Montparnasse to leave her alone and bash his head instead of the car, but she knew that if she did that she would definitely get a worse beating when her father found out.

So instead Eponine gripped the golf club tightly and with all her strength hit the car's front hood. She kept hitting it until one of the windows broke and the alarm went off. Montparnasse grabbed the nine iron from Eponine and took off running, leaving her to her own devices

Jean Valjean had left the exhibition early and was driving home when he saw the girl hitting the car with a golf club. He stopped his car and got out to see that the girl was reaching into the car and that the boy standing behind her had disappeared.

The brown haired girl couldn't have been much older than sixteen and was small and tanned. When she turned around to see Valjean standing behind her she jumped and dropped what she was holding.

"Is this your car, sir?" She asked in a raspy voice.

Valjean shook his head and the girl nodded and ran off towards downtown. Valjean looked down and saw what she had been holding, on it was a picture of a woman with short brown hair and dark skin, under it said "Miss Augustine James" and "Musain Public High School".

_Well I know what I'm doing on Monday,_ thought Valjean and he tucked the tag into his pocket and drove home to check on Cosette before looking up directions to the high school and calling the office to set up a meeting with the principal.

The next Monday, Miss James drove to work with her car still destroyed and walked through the halls yelling at students to get to class. "Eddie Courfeyrac, you and Eponine Thenardier to my office now, you both know why" she said, passing them in the hall. The two moved from their places next to the lockers and waved goodbye to the friends they were talking to before following the principal.

"Eponine, you first," Miss James said, leading the brunette to a chair in front of her desk, "This isn't about the dance last Saturday, but I will start off with that because of this last incident you will be staying in detention for the rest of the year."

"So why am I here? Cause it's been almost a full year since what happened to Azelma, and I don't want to talk about it." Eponine said sharply.

Miss James sighed at the stubborn student, "In part this is what this is about, but more than that we are concerned about your grades. You were an honor student but ever since last year your grades have been dropping. You could have a good life, Eponine, don't let what happened stop you,"

"You don't know what I can or can't do, but let me tell you, getting out from where I am now isn't a possibility" Eponine sighed. Miss James waved her off and told her she could go to class. Eponine grabbed her bag off the floor and stormed out of the offices after taking the note from the secretary excusing her from first period.

"Augustine, Mr. Valjean is here for his meeting" Gretchen, the secretary, told her a few moments later. Miss James sat at her desk and looked up when a man, Valjean presumably, entered the room.

"Mr. Valjean, take a seat" the principal said, "What do you wish to speak about? You're not a parent, not a sub, and I highly doubt you're a cop"

"And how can you tell this?" Valjean asked.

"I've seen enough of all three in the last few years to be able to tell the difference, but I have five minutes, Mr. Valjean"

Valjean was surprised with how straight forward this principal was, none of Cosette's teachers or principals were as, with no other word to describe it, _rude_. "Well, I ran into one of your students on Saturday night and she was vandalizing private property"

"And did you file a police report?" Miss James asked

"No, I thought it would be better if I came to you considering that the reason I knew the student was from her was because of this." Valjean placed the card he found two nights ago on the desk, Miss James gave him a look of disbelief, "Probably one of your kids, if your students were as important to you as your car-"

"I'm sorry for not wanting to drive a destroyed car, and you will not come into talking to me as if you're an expert," Miss James snapped, "I choose what's a priority and what isn't'

"And are honor roll students you're priority?" Valjean asked, indicating two rows of pictures on the wall.

"Those kids are all dead, Mr. Valjean, each one has died since I became principal and I keep them there to remind me why I'm here"

"I apologize" Valjean said, looking over the pictures again and seeing a picture that reminded him of the girl from Saturday, "I want to help"

Miss James now looked exhausted but took out a few pamphlets from her desk, "There are many ways community members can help students here at Musain. There is tutoring, Big Brothers, language lab,-"

"I'm sure these are all good programs but I have my own way of helping" Valjean said, "I want to teach your kids how to dance"

"Believe me if they know one thing, it's how to dance" Miss James rolled her eyes.

"Ballroom?" Valjean asked.

"I'm sorry, but am I on camera, because there is no way that you are actually offering to teach my kids Ballroom Dancing" Miss James laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

Valjean stood up and offered the principal his card, "Your kids, your call. I'll be in touch." And with that jean Valjean walked out of the office.

Gretchen went to the door and regarded Miss James, "Augustine, no one can run the detention hall today."

Miss James groaned but then had an idea; she left the office after Valjean and caught him right before he was going to leave, "Mr. Valjean! If you can be back here at 3pm sharp I may have something for you to do"

"Three?" Valjean asked.

"I'm not a patient woman, Mr. Valjean, either take it or leave it" Miss James replied coolly.

"I'll rearrange my schedule," then Valjean left and prepared for the first day of his afterschool dance classes.

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**Wow that was long!**

**Anyways, Good? Bad? Decent? Reviews always welcome!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again readers! Sorry for such a long wait but i've been swamped with work for the past few weeks, plus I was selected for a special program to go to Europe for a few weeks this summer and we've been filling out paperwork. **

**So because of how the girls in Les Mis are so outnumbered there are going to be a few random names thrown in here and there so everyone would have a dance partner. I only did it once in this chapter but there will be a lot more in the future.**

**Also to everyone who guessed on what the incident is, you're pretty close but just a little off, it involves Montparnasse though, I'll give you that.**

**Now for the story!**

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Eponine left the office that morning in a worse mood then she was in already, after saying goodbye to Courfeyrac she went in the library and waited for first period to end.

Mr. Thenardier had gotten angry at Eponine's younger brother Gavroche the night before when he had dropped some books from school and woken him up from his drunken sleep. Mr. Thenardier was about to slap the young boy across the face, but Eponine stopped him and took the beating instead. Not to mention that Montparnasse had also been over and was attempting to get Eponine to go out with him, which in his language meant hop into bed with him whenever he asked.

The day went on slowly and Eponine was almost relieved to get to detention, the teachers just checked on them every thirty minutes or so and left the kids on their own to do homework or just goof around. The only problem was that because of how she didn't get out until 5:30 most days she wasn't able to keep her brothers out of trouble.

She walked to the basement, which had become the detention hall after someone- Grantaire- burned up the study hall, with multiple spare desks and chairs and even a couch spread out haphazardly around the room. When she reached the basement she saw that almost everyone was there, the only ones missing were Bossuet, who had probably gotten stuck in a classroom, and Courfeyrac, who Eponine saw was trying to get a date with the new girl in her pre-calculus class. Speaking of the two they came through the doors just a few moments later, Bossuet almost falling down the stairs and Courfeyrac with a red slap mark on his cheek.

Joly tossed a basketball to Eponine who then threw it to Courfeyrac, "Didn't get the date?" she joked.

"Ha-ha so funny I forgot to laugh," the taller boy replied, throwing it back at her. Eponine then looked up at the sound of the door opening and heard the principal tell the man who walked in with her that she was betting five bucks he wouldn't be back the next day.

"Miss James" Joly said when he saw her, "What? Are we getting out early for not destroying anything?"

"No you are not, Mr. Joly," She regarded him sarcastically, "Okay everyone, this is Mr. Valjean, Mr. Valjean will be running detention from now on and you will do whatever Mr. Valjean says"

"That's what you think" Eponine heard Grantaire mumble, and she smirked at how true it was.

"They're all yours" Miss James said, and with that she left Mr. Valjean with the group of about twenty students. Eponine and the others paid no attention to the man and he stood in front of the room for a few seconds before introducing himself.

"My name is Jean Valjean, but you can call me Jean" He said to them, then he pointed to Enjolras "And you are? Sir?"

Enjolras took a moment but then answered, "Gabriel Enjolras" before sitting on the couch that was placed in the back of the room and starting his work.

Jean nodded, he then pointed to Eponine, "And you mademoiselle?"

"Eponine, Eponine Thenardier" She sighed, slightly shocked at his formality.

"Very nice to meet you Eponine"

"So what kind of teacher are you?" Eponine asked.

"Yah, why did you get stuck watching us Dungeon Kids?" Bahorel asked as Eponine threw the basketball across the room at him.

Valjean saw the same rough edged rudeness that he saw in the principal in the kids who had spoken so far and spoke calmly and didn't let it get to him. "I asked to be here," he said as the kids laughed, he heard one mumble something he couldn't quite make-out but ignored it, "I teach Ballroom dancing, and you will be learning ballroom during your detention"

This, of course, only caused the teens to laugh even harder, "I will arrange you by height, you," Jean continued, pointing to Joly, "Mr. Joly, yes? You and…you, mademoiselle, together."

Musichetta looked up from her spot on top of a desk where she had spread her homework; she looked over at Joly and smiled. Jean Valjean saw this and was glad that at least the first pairing would get along, at least until he looked over to the boy with a shaven head staring at the two with what he would call jealousy.

He continued to pair up the students with far less complaint from the teens then he expected, asking them their names as he went. But when he made the final pairing you would have thought that Jean had started World War 3. "And you, Gabriel will be dancing with Eponine"

Eponine was in shock for a second before suddenly finding her voice, "Hell. No." She said and then walked up to Jean, whispering to him, "Seriously I need a new partner, I will _not_ dance with him"

"And why is that, Eponine?" he asked calmly, surprised that she felt so strongly with this.

Enjolras had seen that it was time to leave and had gathered his stuff and started to walk past them, "Because of her sister that's why"

"You shut up, Enjolras!" Eponine yelled at him and had to be physically held back by Grantaire and Joly to keep her from clawing his eyes out, while Jean stood in between the two teens. This caught the attention of everyone else in the room and Musichetta pulled Eponine away to try and calm her down.

"Here, I'll dance with Eponine," said Combeferre, trying to avoid the inevitable fight, "Enjolras can dance with Hanna instead. Everyone happy? No more wanting to kill each other anymore than usual? Good."

Eponine and Enjolras both glared at each other before both muttered in agreement and the students left without waiting for Valjean to dismiss them. "So that is the end of class for the day" He said half-heartedly and looked up as Mr. Javert looked down on him with disdain on his face.

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**Good? Bad? Enough until next time?**

**Reviews always welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys I'm not dead! sorry for the long wait, AGAIN. lots of stuff happening. **

**Anyways, since I will most likely not update again before Halloween, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!**

**But for those who asked me to tell them what the Incident was I'm sorry but I couldn't tell you because it gets explained (at least somewhat) in this chapter. There's not much E/E in this chapter but you ****_do_**** get a flashback of when they were still friends (WOOHOO!). So now, on to the story!**

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The next day Jean Valjean came into the school early and walked into the office when Gretchen said it was fine. When he walked into Miss James office he stood there for a moment and waited for her to notice he was there. "I believe you owe me five dollars" he said as she looked up.

"And believe that I'm seeing things," Miss James said, handing him the five dollar bill, "You're a little early for detention."

Jean stood there for a moment before sighing, "I want to talk, about the kids in my class"

Miss James nodded and motioned for him to sit, "So where do you want to start?"

The two spent the better part of an hour discussing the twenty students who were in detention so far, and Jean found out more than he was expecting the principal to know. Things like how Musichetta, Joly, and Bossuet- the boy with the shaven head- were in a sort of love triangle, how Courfeyrac was apparently a ladies man but cared for Eponine's younger brother like his own, and even that the Grantaire boy drank regularly.

She also knew of the inner workings of the Amis, as they liked to call themselves, but everyone else called them the Dungeon Kids. Ever since the year before the group had been separated slightly, half sided more with Eponine and the other with Enjolras. It was Eponine, Grantaire, Musichetta, and Courfeyrac against Enjolras, Bahorel, Bossuet, and Feuilly, with only Jehan, Joly, Marius, and Combeferre as 'neutral' parties, although they have shown a little favoritism in the past.

But towards the end of the school day they finally got to the part that Valjean had been waiting for.

"So you've seen the way Gabriel and Eponine act around each other, correct?" Miss James inquired; they had to make sure to schedule the two in very different classes to keep them from killing each other, except for AP Government, which only had one class period.

"Yes," Jean answered hesitantly, remembering the problem they had the day before, "They seem to dislike each other very much."

"Well that's putting lightly, Mr. Valjean," She answered with a small snort, "Actually, it wasn't always this way, Eponine and Enjolras had been the best of friends once upon a time, and everyone was rooting for them to get together.

"Enjolras is actually from a very well off family, I don't know why but he decided to come here for high school, but Eponine hasn't been able to decide anything for herself since the day she was born." Miss James explained, she stood up and went to the wall with deceased students, she pointed to the last picture, "This is Eponine's twin sister Azelma, she was a sweet girl, both of them were on the honor roll and Eponine tried to look out for her. Azelma's boyfriend was a boy named Montparnasse who dropped out in his junior year two or three years ago. She tried to stay out of trouble, but with her family I can understand what happened, and she was shot last year while with Montparnasse on some drug job. She was shot by this boy, Jason, who is Gabriel's older brother."

This time she pointed to a picture of a boy with brown hair and Enjolras' blue eyes.

"I have never seen two siblings so different as those two. While Gabriel willingly doesn't use his family's money and lives on his own, Jason was forced to go here and has always had this evil streak, and sometime a year or so ago he decided it was a good idea to start using and selling drugs as well. Apparently Montparnasse's deal didn't go well and in the end of everything most people were hurt but these two were dead. I don't know why, but Eponine and Gabriel ended up blaming each other, and it's been like civil war in their group since then."

Mr. Valjean absorbed this and stood up saying, "Tybalt slays Mercutio" grabbing his jacket and preparing to go to the basement.

"This isn't some Shakespearean tragedy, Mr. Valjean, this is high school" Miss James said sarcastically.

"High School, Miss James, might just be the greatest Shakespearean tragedy of all" The Valjean exited the room with a nod, leaving the principal to think over what he said.

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Both Eponine and Enjolras blamed the other for what happened last year, their friends think that had tried to find a way to not blame their family and their friend seemed like the only other possible choice.

Miss James had gotten most of the story right, the two had been friends, best friends, since they met in eighth grade, and Enjolras hated his parents so he has lived in an apartment near the school since sophomore year (that his parents pay for to try and win his love), and Eponine was very protective of her twin, but what she got wrong was what actually happened that day.

**_*One year ago, before school*_**

_"Gabriel!"_

_The blond boy turned around to see a dark haired dot flying towards him and huddling under his umbrella, it had been raining all week and today was no exception. If anyone other than the small girl beside him called him Gabriel or Gabe, Enjolras would have at least protested, but with her he let it slide. Eponine was shivering and slightly soaked. "Jeez, Ep, you're freezing" Enjolras said to her, noticing she only had a ratty old cardigan over her clothes, "What happened to your jacket?" _

_"I gave it to Gavroche because my dad was up and had been yelling at us so he left his at home," she answered firmly, leaving no room for question. Enjolras took off his jacket and handed it to Eponine, who protested until he pointed out that she would get sick and that he was wearing a sweatshirt underneath, she reluctantly put it on and the two walked to school in comfortable silence._

_The day went on like normal; Eponine had most of her classes with Enjolras, with the rest of the Amis weaving in and out of their day. During lunch Enjolras split his lunch with Eponine like he did almost every other day because she keeps forgetting money, "I'll pay you back tomorrow" she says out of habit even though they both know that she never will._

_It wasn't until after school did something go wrong. Jason Enjolras, who was a senior and going to graduate at the end of the semester, approached his younger brother and Eponine right after class ended. _

_Eponine didn't like Jason at all, she knows for a fact he buys marijuana from her father's gang, Montparnasse especially, and he was a major flirt, he had asked her out the first day he met her in the school parking lot and when she declined with a slight sneer he shrugged and asked out some girl ten feet away, who was dumb enough to say yes. So when he came up to them she pressed closer to Gabriel's side and ignored him the best she could._

_She caught bits and pieces of the conversation and pieced together he was doing something and that he wanted Gabe to cover for him. "And will you be there Nina?" Jason asked, pulling her unwillingly to the conversation, oh how she hated that name._

_"Stop calling me Nina" she barked at him, but put on a fake pleasant smile, "And why would I be anywhere you would be if I wasn't with Gabe?"_

_"It's just that your sister and her boyfriend are going so I thought you might as well"_

_Eponine tried not to panic when she realized he meant one of her father's dealings, but she also realized that she had to stop her sister from going, because nine out of ten times someone ended up killed, and she didn't want it to be her._

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**The flashback will be continued in the next chapter, and the rest of what happens will be revealed, I swear.**

**So... Good? Bad? Fair? ****_Comments of any form? _****Reviews always welcome.**


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